--- r e f l e X i o n ---

[Linuxfan]

Love the 5970 WBs!
Definitely would like to see the video.

This is such a showpiece! Are you actually going to use it for daily gaming?

[Xion X2]

Glad to see your back at it, Xion X2 !

Thank you, shazza. It's great to be back.

Whoot! Can't wait!

You're welcome dude. Glad to help with a build this amazing

Thanks again, Bill. I don't know if you've had a chance to check out the video yet, but those grills will be making an appearance in the next one. I'm still in the process of building radboxes for these.

Love the 5970 WBs!
Definitely would like to see the video.

This is such a showpiece! Are you actually going to use it for daily gaming?

Thanks, Linuxfan. Yes, it will be my gaming rig from day to day. Have to put those 5970s to good use.

[Xion X2]

Video is now online. Stream or download at 720p--

http://vimeo.com/10476537



Hope you guys enjoy.

-Michael

[whuzabi]

looks good

whats are the next steps ?

[Wezly]

Step 2:


Step 3: profit

[aka_GK]

wow, nice idea to make videos
I'd like to see videos of your working process too or just explaining and showing what goes where, what is ready and what will be later.

[Xion X2]

looks good

whats are the next steps ?

Thanks, whuzabi.

That's a good question and a nice seguay into my next update. No pictures with this one. I just want to inform everyone of where I currently stand on the project.

What the heck is Xion doing at the moment, they're wondering. This is taking forever. Less pictures, more work. Updates.. progress.. you're showing us all these shop pictures, and it looks like nothing is getting done.



Well, I assure you that stuff is getting done. Here is what I'm working on at the moment and what lies ahead in the immediate future:

• A new concept for shelving Lexan / Plexi without adhesive (I expect to have an update on this within the week)
• Perfecting the fine art of sanding and polishing Lexan to give the transparency to the Zero Gravity Chamber
• Cutting holes in the case frame to route tubing and wires
• Fabricating two radboxes

Those are the remaining items left for fabrication. Then everything will go off to paint, and I'll close things out with the lighting scheme that I'll be using.

Step 2:


Step 3: profit

LOL. If I'm lucky.

wow, nice idea to make videos
I'd like to see videos of your working process too or just explaining and showing what goes where, what is ready and what will be later.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

[vistageek92]

Video is now online. Stream or download at 720p--

http://vimeo.com/10476537



Hope you guys enjoy.

-Michael

No offense Michael, but i think i like your photography better.

But still, very good job on it, very dramatic music. My sub loved the opening to that song you used.

[Xion X2]

No offense Michael, but i think i like your photography better.

But still, very good job on it, very dramatic music. My sub loved the opening to that song you used.

No offense taken. Some pretty expensive equipment is needed to shoot a good video, and I just don't do enough video to warrant the investment. My DSLR cost 3x as much as my camcorder does--even though it's HD.

However, I do love the life that video can add to a project and very much enjoy shooting it.

Yeah.. lot of bass in the beginning so hope it didn't damage your sub.

[Xion X2]

So now I'm going to share with you what I've been working on for the past two weeks.

Often when modding, you feel as if you've encroached on a new idea, but being able to put it into practice isn't as easy as it often seems it will be. So when you're able to make something work as you've imagined it, it brings a special sense of content.

I present to you a new way of shelving Lexan and Plexi, the Dovetail.

This is an ancient practice, actually, but I have never seen it done on plastics or glass before. It's often used as a method of bonding two pieces of wood together and is used in dressers and desks commonly. But could I get it to work on Lexan.. could I get it to look clean and bond securely without adhesive. That was the question and was my goal. I wanted to discover a way of bonding two or more pieces of Lexan together without using adhesive such as Weld-on or epoxy. That's fine for many, but I just don't like using adhesives on glass because it always leaves a residue behind that's visible to the eye.

For those who aren't familiar, this is what is called a "Dado" or half of a sliding dovetail--



In the most basic terms, it's an angled groove that serves as a keyhole of sorts for an adjacent piece to slide in and bond. Here's how it bonds together--





Notice how, when cut accurately, it bonds nice and clean. A perfect fit--like a key into a keyhole. And it's a snug fit.. no adhesive of any sort needed as long as you cut the key or what is technically called the "Tenon" correctly.

To cut the dovetails, I use dovetail bit at 4mm depth--



But-- you've seen how it looks on wood already, so let's view it on glass.







You can see how I can hold it, and it hangs firmly in place. In fact, chances are you could not force it apart with your bare hands; it would take a rubber mallet to separate these two pieces.






The edges of this Lexan had not been sanded since these were just used as test pieces. To sand out the saw marks, I use my power sander--



--and to get the finer imperfections out I sand by hand with 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit and then finally aluminum/metal polish to get to perfect transparency like on the flat side of the glass/Lexan.

More to come in the next update on this. I'll show the actual shelves which will be going into the Zero-G Chamber being fit together by this method.

Thanks for checking in.

[voigts]

That is a very ingenious idea to use a dovetail joint for your shelves. It also can be time consuming to get things lined up correctly, not to mention the sanding involved.

[Weevil]

Now that's thinking out of the box! Cool.

[Kibbler]

Brilliant! It makes so much sense. Way to adopt a tried-and-true idea and combine it with precise machining. Is it load bearing?

[Xion X2]

That is a very ingenious idea to use a dovetail joint for your shelves. It also can be time consuming to get things lined up correctly, not to mention the sanding involved.

I've found something to help me with the "lining up" bit, but all the sanding is still very tedious.

In the end, though, I think the effect will be worth it.

Now that's thinking out of the box! Cool.

Brilliant! It makes so much sense. Way to adopt a tried-and-true idea and combine it with precise machining. Is it load bearing?

Thanks! It will be. I'll be cutting 4 intersecting shelves in total. Two will run vertical and two horizontal. The vertical will hold the SSD drives, and the horizontal will hold the pumps. They will all be held together with dovetails.

[nigelke]

nice one
Love how you work with this stuf

[dingdong555]

Perfection mate

[Wezly]

Mmmmmmmmmmm......


I have some ideas now.....

[Liderc]

Love the dovetails, it's very unique for a pc build, but very effective for what you're using it for.

[Xion X2]

nice one
Love how you work with this stuf

Thanks, bud.

Perfection mate

Thanks, ding.

Mmmmmmmmmmm......


I have some ideas now.....

Don't be stealin' all my ideas now, Wezly. Imma have to start keeping this stuff secret.

Love the dovetails, it's very unique for a pc build, but very effective for what you're using it for.

Thanks, Liderc.


My sleeving kit came in from Nils. I'll post some photos tomorrow. Here's a preview.



And that's not all of it... not even close.. I may be sleeving for the next year or so..

[aka_GK]

My sleeving kit came in from Nils. I'll post some photos tomorrow. Here's a preview.
<snip>
And that's not all of it... not even close.. I may be sleeving for the next year or so..

ah, i've been waiting for this since the beginning
you've promise to finish by the end of may or so, aren't you?

and nice work on those shelves - inspiring!

[Xion X2]

ah, i've been waiting for this since the beginning
you've promise to finish by the end of may or so, aren't you?

and nice work on those shelves - inspiring!

Yeah, and it's going to be tight. I could be sitting here May 31 at 11:59p popping that last rivet in.

Another teaser until tomorrow...



I'll be blacking out all those colored buttons on the bottom. Can't stand how so many of these motherboards look like a kid's crayon box in some places.

[masska]

LOVE all that black and chrome!!!
Keep it up mate, its going to be an awesome piece of kit

[Wezly]

Don't worry, I'm just speaking in generalities. It makes me think of other things differently.

I don't have the equipment to do what you do, or the space.

But, the last time I went to Home Depot (only place around really) I feel like I saw all of the tools you got. Same brands, same models.... It was tempting....

[aka_GK]

I'll be blacking out all those colored buttons on the bottom. Can't stand how so many of these motherboards look like a kid's crayon box in some places.

yep, even the blackest of the blackest motherboard has some coloured spots and light grey IO shield as well.

how you're going to blacken those buttons?

[marxviper]

nice work.

Cant wait to see the finish product

I wonder why you didnt go for evga x58 classified. Hope you dont mind me asking this question